34 Times People That Could Read In Foreign Languages Had To Just Laugh At These Terrible Tattoo Choices
Like Ariana Grande has shown, nobody is safe when it comes to inking yourself with foreign languages. Not even high-profile celebrities. Using Japanese Kanji symbols, the performer intended for the design to read "7 Rings" but it ended up saying "small charcoal grill" or "BBQ".
Turns out, these mistakes are relatively common. Whether it's because the client can't be bothered with actual research or a slip of the tattoo artist's hand, there are pictures of people "wearing" designs in honor of toilet demons and sexual fantasies. And Bored Panda has collected the funniest ones. So scroll down, enjoy the images, and upvote your faves.
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Well That’s Just Unfortunate…
Asian people get T-shirts with English words they have no idea about, but the rest of the world get permanent tattoos of asian words they don't know. Who is smarter?
I personally think that "Toilet demon" accurately sums up this s**t-storm of year.
Whhhhhyyyy do people continue to get tattoos that they be able no idea what it says/in a language they can't read. Especially in this age of Google Translate.
Though if it's Chinese, google translate gives different symbols for "toilet demon" (廁所惡魔)
Load More Replies...Why the hell would you get a certain tattoo when you don't even know the meaning of it?
Because the tattoo artist lied, or also doesn’t know and just wants to make a buck
Load More Replies...Tattoo artist Lauren Harper said although she can't speak for everyone in the industry, judging from what she sees online, these designs seem pretty popular.
"I would have to say that, unfortunately, the client is probably responsible if these tattoos go wrong," Harper told Bored Panda. "They sign a waiver agreeing to the spelling of the tattoo and if the artist doesn't speak the language they're requesting, it's definitely on them to make sure it's correct."
Why Human Translation Is Valuable
This one has been making the rounds. Apparently, this young lady wanted to surprise her boyfriend with a tattoo that reads “I love you”. Instead, it reads “Babylon is one of the world’s leading dictionary and translation programs”
Do the artists know the true meanings or they just ink what the client gives them?
I’d say they don’t know *most* of the time. And also, if the client brings it in and wants it done, they’ll do it no questions
Load More Replies...As somebody working in the wide and wonderful world of linguistics, this has to be one of my personal favourites for the sheer irony. This is why you bloody hire a native speaker for translation. (This has been a public service announcement.)
Thank you for the wise advice - and the good laugh!
Load More Replies..."I just called to say 'Babylon is one of the world’s leading dictionary and translation programs'."
The number of characters would have been the first sign to me that something was wrong with the translation for such a short phrase.
As with any tattoo, Harper suggests people do their research before sitting down to get a foreign language one. "Hopefully, they might know someone who speaks or writes the language they'd like tattooed so they can confirm, if not, there's always the Internet to turn to! Forums, Google translate. Although these avenues definitely come with their own set of risks that clients are hopefully aware of," she said, smiling.
Kevin Blankinship, a professor of Arabic at Brigham Young University, regularly gets requests to verify tattoos or to admire the ones people already have. He doesn't think proper grammar is the most important thing when it comes to inking yourself. "Laughing at tattoo 'fails' has become a favorite pastime of academic linguists and internet trolls," Blankinship said after recalling one mishap. "For them, blunders of spelling and meaning betray a vapid, commodified globalism that forever marks the victims. But for thousands of people—including my yoga teacher—getting a foreign script etched onto the skin is part of a universal search for significance and sentimental attachment. People risk embarrassment because foreign-language tattoos give them a permanent invitation to contemplate cultures and ideas beyond their own."
According to the professor, that effort can still succeed even if the tattoos have errors.
I Meeeeeean…
God? Sure is! He tests if you're willing to believe in him by making you kill your kids, literally takes everything away from you cause Satan was like: "bet he won't" God: "Hold my beer." And burning hundreds of people who chose not to go with that s**t
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Hilarious!!! I can see this! At tattooist "Hi I like some beautiful Asian letters please." "Ok, is there some special meaning you would like them to express?" "I don´t know... Do you have any suggestions?" The boyfriend then opens his mouth and the tattooist there and then know what signs it should be.
Much Appreciated
This is a particularly cruel prank. What this actually says is “ana mu’affan”, “I am rotten”.
PLEASE do not tattoo languages you know nothing about, even if you consult a native speaker. some people are mean.
I think the best way to do it if you really insist on getting a tattoo in a language you don't speak, is to ask a native speaker to translate, and then show that to another asking only what it means.
Load More Replies...I know that this was a prank (fair enough) but everyone should be careful of literal translations, especially into languages that differ significantly from English (or whatever). The meaning could be quite different to what you intended.
This is a very good point. Even if the translation is right, it might mean something completely different under the cultural context of the country/countries it is spoken.
Load More Replies...A prank is a bucket of water over the door. Filling their office or cubicle with balloons. Covering their car entirely with Post-it notes. Each one is easily cleaned up. Giving someone the wrong translation for a tattoo is just wrong. Not a prank. The person who got the tattoo should have double-checked, as well. Now that I've said that, I think this photo is photo-shopped. The tattoo is way too perfect-looking. Solid black and doesn't seem to be warped to the body shape.
To be honest even if it says I am rotten, you could twist it around and tell people something. Although I wouldn't really care still a cool translation
If you are to get a tattoo in another language you don't understand then ask a native to write what you want first then ask a few other natives what it says then when you are sure then get it done.
Well if you are alive you will die and when you die you rot...unless you are shot through with formaldehyde. SO there is some potential truth in the tattoo.
I LOVE THE character/s to the right (ihe person’s left - right? Anyway, it looks like a little charChter - wave to hands up in the air. Really cheery.
They Certainly Were “Taken Advantage Of”
OKAY, can I just say something as a native speaker? 利用 in *Japanese* technically only means "usage", and in *Chinese* doesn't necessarily mean being taken advantage OF, mainly employing something for usage. In either way, the characters are written quite poorly (and the spacing/proportions seem awkward), so idek if a native speaker tattooed that onto them in the first place.
This. I’m a non-native speaker of Japanese who works as a corporate translator and 利用 shows up in sooooo many boring contexts. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen 利用する being used in the same way as “using someone” in English, but it’s not remotely the main meaning of the word, any more than “using a person” is the main meaning of “use” in English.
Load More Replies...So the tattoos accurately describe what happened when they paid someone to ink them on.
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Her Tattoo Says "Fresh Spring Rolls" In Thai
"Hi! I would like a tattoo! I was thinking something like... like... a menu? On my shoulders?"
Admittedly, I do love me some spring rolls so this wouldn't be the end of world.
“A Queef Perhaps”, Indeed
A queef is air coming from the vagina that sounds like a fart. It happens when air gets into the vagina, sometimes by intercourse in certain positions.
"We're just letters put on (a) shoulder." Kinda profound actually! :-)
Never Use A Hungry Tattoo Artist…
It would have been a wonderful way to start a conversation: So, I see you're a miso-phile...and then you gently explain.
That's not quite what it says. I can't make out the right character but the left one means flavour/taste. Doesn't say soup but probably not what she's was going for either way!
Chinese Tattoos Gone Wrong
I want to believe that meanie crime poet was intentional.
Load More Replies...Actually “宦官” means eunuch……truely his job is also being the Emperor's clerk, but its not the key point……
Load More Replies..."Mad Diarrhea" could be a warning on a person with IBS... I'm torn between "Meanie Crime Poet" and "Emperor's Clerk" as my favorite. What, exactly, does an emperor's clerk DO?
Yeah, BoredPanda is really strange. They have a huge troll problem that a lot of people on this site have commented, yet these choose to censor silly curse words yet don't commend hate speech on the site...hmmm.
Load More Replies...honestly? i would get any of these knowing full well what they mean on purpose. i have a stupid sense of humor
Shout Out To This Mexican Tattoo Artist
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Well that's an image that might finally get the US election out of my mind. Thanks :P
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
I'd add wings, using the characters as the body, transform it into a butterfly
Like this, but less angel, and more insect: 10940477_8...8681_n.jpg
also, why is it rotated 90 degrees? this way it reads from bottom to top?!
Just found out that "butterfly" in Hebrew can also be translated as "ladies man", "bow tie" or "Don Juan", among other things. :/
If you change the order of the words, that is "חמאה זבוב", you'll have "butter" + "fly" = butterfly, just a word game that works in English, but has no meaning in Hebrew.
Today I Learned That My Friends Chinese Tattoo Literally Means "Turkey Sandwich"
This person is addicted to turkey sandwiches so much that they had it tattooed on their arm
Maybe She’s Into Grilling…
Looks like a doll's hand not a real hand. But then again the tattoo also is not what it appears.
Touched up a little bit? Idk everthing is photoshoped nowadays. Maybe they smoothened the skin.
Load More Replies...FYI, the characters are literally "7" and "ring", but together they mean "hot plate" :D
I was just thinking 'but that's 7 and ring' XD My Japanese is not quite good enough yet
Load More Replies...never get hand tattoos. after a short amount of time the skin will start to grow back and make the tattoo look awful. ( im family friends with a tattoo artist, so I do know a fair bit about this stuff)
This girl makes such bad decisions, like licking donuts & putting a tattoo on Her Palm. It could be worse than a grill.
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Freedom in popular Western society is the ability to suppress others with impunity.
Load More Replies...I can see this one happening. American goes to Japanese tattoo artist whose English is limited. "I want a tattoo that says 'free' in Japanese." Thinking, of course, of personal or political freedom. "You want tattoo that says 'free'?" Thinking of no charge "Yes, that's right." Japanese person thinks, What a strange request for a tattoo, but okay, if that's what he wants. Shrugs and says, "Ok."
Heavily Smitten, I Guess?
Starting to think it's the norm for tattoo artists to put what they really think of you when you chose symbols you know nothing of
It's the right character. The tattoo is in a calligraphy font which is called "xing shu", semi-cursive handwriting style.
Load More Replies...Supportive Spouse
This one reads “husband head empty”.
Actually it is exactly the same photo as in the "I married a moron" translation.
Load More Replies...This Person Will Never Need To Struggle Ordering In A Chinese Restaurant Again
I let it rain, I clear it out. I let it rain, I clear it out
Load More Replies...does it say if i want fries on that? no. so i dont want fries.
Load More Replies...Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
He made the tattoo. Did he think he'd get lucky & it would be an actual word?
Guilherme is a Portuguese name, so he's probably not a native English speaker, and meant to say "I got"...
Load More Replies...武 = military; martial 極 = extreme; utmost; final don't know what is the last character
Apart from his creative font, the last 2 words may be 極光 (Aurora). It makes sense if the first word is 北. 北極光 means "North Pole Aurora". But it really looks like 武. 武 means weapon or force or just a last name in Chinese.
What does he mean "he made it" and now he wants to know what it means? Did he tattoo himself with random symbols and just hoped it would mean something coherent? This is puzzling.
As Rob mentioned, the guy is most likely is not a native English speaker and meant to say he "got it"
Load More Replies...It Like Literally Says This Is Tattoo Hahaha
It could have been done on purpose? I mean, I know someone with a tattoo in Chinese that literally says "I don't know, I don't understand Chinese".
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Boastful Rice Village (He Thought It Was His Daughter's Name)
and Jeremy is probably not the daughter's name...
Load More Replies...Well basically it's just a literal translation in sounds. These characters are: Jie, li, mi (don't have a chinese keyboard so I can't type the actual characters). The sound they make is "Jeremy". Just wondering though, why is your daughter's name Jeremy?
It could be the phonetic equivalent of his daughter's name. Chinese and Japanese use characters to get as close to the sound of foreign names as possible without regard to the characters' meaning.
Could means "Jeremy", as it sounds similar. But no one would translate it character by character
Village meter rice? The person in the village responsible for counting rice? A village of people who all take the accounting of rice seriously? Not all of these are used in Japanese so I'm really stumped!
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
this is one of my personal favorite kanji. it's when you combine dragon and water you get the image of falling dragon into the water, thus a waterfall!
Well when you put it like that this is a pretty badass tattoo.
Load More Replies...even though is doesn't mean what she wished, I still think it's a cool word
Whilst it's not the intended meaning, at least "waterfall" isn't the worst thing to have tattooed.
The true meaning isn’t bad. At least it’s meaning isn’t something stupid or embarrassing.
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Genuinely curious; if you don't know what a foreign phrase means, then why get it tattooed?
If I were to guess I would say lack of foresight or because it looks cool. Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol is another possible answer.
Load More Replies...I'd guess it's cause he wants someone to reach there
Load More Replies...Is that tat just above his beltline? If yes, it could be significant... get my meaning?
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
所 is pronounced “suo”, and 狗 is pronounced “gou”. So it could be a very failed attempt at trying to translate phonetically. But these are not typical characters you would use in a name. Especially not 狗 which means dog.
thats the thing about characters like that - they dont just stand for one letter like how english characters do
Well how can you get a tattoo of English name initials translated into a completely different language that doesn’t even use the same alphabet? She should have just asked for their names.
Carbs Are Important
So, supposedly this was supposed to be Qi, a primal force of life in eastern philosophy. What it says is “rice”. How did that happen? If we were to guess, it’s because in traditional Chinese, the lower component of the Qi character 氣 is similar (but not identical) to rice 米
It's more a concept similar to that of energy than the physical thing we call energy itself. Like spirit, essence, even will, that kind of thing.
Load More Replies...But the tattoo looks nothing like the 2 characters. Does anyone else notice?
These are easy to read in that way. Look at the waterfall example again: it has something like a house, or something up high, and a stream and energy. The other element might indicate something like rocks or a pond or something. Looks similar in some ways to the sign for Tao, which from memory is a road sign and a path leading past it with a man on the path (tao literally translate to "the path" or "the way"). But in the waterfall pictogram on the left is some small strokes that indicate something emitting, or, basically, energy (as we would think of it). It implies motion, or a force of some kind.
Load More Replies...Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Mechanical curved handle - crank? Short, fat, crank?I've known one or two of those in my time.
Mechanical curved handle - crank? Short, fat, crank? I've known one or two of those in my time.
Ooh, Yolanda Sounds Like A Freak
it'd be easier if they just write in katakana instead of kanji
Load More Replies...余 = extreme, remainder, surplus, 乱 = revolt, rebellion, war, 田 = rice paddy よらんだ = yoranda. It might be them trying to figure out how to write their name using Japanese kanji pronunciations. It's very clumsily done though! Care should be taken to choose characters with good meaning as well. My Japanese friend and I did exactly this with my name and my husband's name. It took most of an afternoon to figure out!!
Definitely not Japanese. It is Chinese but the pronunciation is not even close to Yolanda. "Yu" "Luan" "Tian"
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
The blossoms are cool. Aside from that, the right and bottom characters look like written by a grade schooler. Any native would be able to tell, but on the bright side, that also means the non-speaking tattoo artist couldn't have had intentional scrutiny towards you!
The characters on the right and middle must be made by another person. Coz the stroke is totally different from the characters on the left.
Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
"It swims happen by chance" however "it swims" was meant to be the word "Nothing". See above as to why.
Load More Replies...Funny-Language-Tattoo-Fail
Abundant mound = the tattoo artist saw that she had a camel toe when she got the tat
Load More Replies...Protip: When Getting A Tattoo In Another Language, Make Sure It's Not Upside Down.
according to my husband, "Harmony", "Love" (upside down) and no idea about the last one.
和 = add; harmony; peace (愛) is upside down = love; 忠 = loyal; faithful
和受忠 I think they wanted it to say "receive with faith" or something to that effect... the top two are just awfully drawn though!
Yeah, even a noob Japanese student like me wouldnt write the kanji this bad.
Load More Replies...For all y’all Aussies or whatever following the US election, I’m so sorry. It’s not my fault.
If trump wins I might just quit the internet. I can't handle another 4 years of content related to him.
Load More Replies...Serves themselves right for not researching the meanings before getting them tattooed.
Or naming their kids. Someone was gonna name their kid two syllables they thought sounded unique and pretty. In the actual language? It's not a word used in polite company.
Load More Replies...If you want to have a tattoo in foreign language, consult at least three native speakers independently. That way, a chance for mean person would be lowered.
Research! If you want to get something forever, it’s important to check. 😶 Also, since this has Chinese characters, here’s one for you to learn if you don’t know: 云 (yún) means cloud. ☁️
Chinese characters are called Characters instead of alphabet for a reason. they are not to be used to "spell", unless you want them to be read phonetically. though this is coming from someone who only learn the Japanese kanji not Chinese, so the rules to "spell" foreign word might be different. Japanese just used another set of writings for non-Japanese words.
If you are interested in getting a tattoo in another language, especially one that does not use a Latin based writing system, please, for the love of linguistics and all that is holy, consult a native speaker of the language. Do not, I repeat, do not rely on Google Translate or Babble Fish to provide an accurate translation. Also, I would highly recommend going to a tattoo artist that is a native speaker or highly knowledgeable about the language you want the tattoo in.
Hinative for example, you could ask native speakers
Load More Replies...I don't understand this. Ordering a professional translation of just a few words made by a human translator whose mother tongue is the target language is really not expensive. Why do people prefer to take the risk to make fools of themselves?
Unless the person being tattooed demonstrates that they can understandably write Chinese, my tattooist will go next door to the Chinese medicine shop and ask them what it means to make sure that stuff like this doesn't happen.
In college, I took a class with a girl who grew up in South Korea near an American military base. She thought Americans were crazy about Coca-Cola because so many of the men had that as a tattoo but in Chinese. She found out later that years earlier, a bunch of them got what they thought said “warrior” or some such inked on them. However, the locals didn’t like how awful the Americans stationed there treated them, so the artist pulled a fast one on them. More guys wanted the tattoo, and it became a thing to get when stationed there. Not sure if it’s true, but I thought it was hilarious!
For all y’all Aussies or whatever following the US election, I’m so sorry. It’s not my fault.
If trump wins I might just quit the internet. I can't handle another 4 years of content related to him.
Load More Replies...Serves themselves right for not researching the meanings before getting them tattooed.
Or naming their kids. Someone was gonna name their kid two syllables they thought sounded unique and pretty. In the actual language? It's not a word used in polite company.
Load More Replies...If you want to have a tattoo in foreign language, consult at least three native speakers independently. That way, a chance for mean person would be lowered.
Research! If you want to get something forever, it’s important to check. 😶 Also, since this has Chinese characters, here’s one for you to learn if you don’t know: 云 (yún) means cloud. ☁️
Chinese characters are called Characters instead of alphabet for a reason. they are not to be used to "spell", unless you want them to be read phonetically. though this is coming from someone who only learn the Japanese kanji not Chinese, so the rules to "spell" foreign word might be different. Japanese just used another set of writings for non-Japanese words.
If you are interested in getting a tattoo in another language, especially one that does not use a Latin based writing system, please, for the love of linguistics and all that is holy, consult a native speaker of the language. Do not, I repeat, do not rely on Google Translate or Babble Fish to provide an accurate translation. Also, I would highly recommend going to a tattoo artist that is a native speaker or highly knowledgeable about the language you want the tattoo in.
Hinative for example, you could ask native speakers
Load More Replies...I don't understand this. Ordering a professional translation of just a few words made by a human translator whose mother tongue is the target language is really not expensive. Why do people prefer to take the risk to make fools of themselves?
Unless the person being tattooed demonstrates that they can understandably write Chinese, my tattooist will go next door to the Chinese medicine shop and ask them what it means to make sure that stuff like this doesn't happen.
In college, I took a class with a girl who grew up in South Korea near an American military base. She thought Americans were crazy about Coca-Cola because so many of the men had that as a tattoo but in Chinese. She found out later that years earlier, a bunch of them got what they thought said “warrior” or some such inked on them. However, the locals didn’t like how awful the Americans stationed there treated them, so the artist pulled a fast one on them. More guys wanted the tattoo, and it became a thing to get when stationed there. Not sure if it’s true, but I thought it was hilarious!
